Connect or forward a domain

In the client area you decide for each domain what it is used for. Open Domain → Domain overview, choose the domain and click Link to Hosting. You have three options, which we explain one by one below.

1. Connect

This connects the domain to a web or mail server. In the Package field you choose one of your packages at FireStorm, for example a web hosting or a SiteDesigner. Website and email then both run on this package, and we set the required DNS records for you automatically.

If you want to run website and email in different places, tick Choose website and email separately. Two fields then appear in which you choose each part on its own:

• Your packages at FireStorm: for example the website on the web hosting and the email on the email package.
• External providers: for example email on Microsoft 365 or the website on a website builder. If needed, the form asks for the matching value, such as the MX record from the Microsoft 365 admin center.
• Other provider: if your provider is not listed, you enter the IP addresses, the CNAME for www or the mail servers yourself.
• Park: only switches off this one part, for example if no email should be received on the domain.

We always keep the record for our mail delivery (SPF), so that for example contact forms on your website arrive reliably. If email runs externally, our server no longer accepts email for this domain, so that everything reaches the new provider. Your existing mailboxes are kept.

2. Forward

The domain sends visitors to another address. Enter the full destination address including https:// and choose the type of forwarding:

• 301 forwarding (recommended): visitors land on the destination address, and the browser’s address bar shows it. Search engines pass the ranking on to the destination. This works with any address.
• Frame forwarding: your domain stays in the address bar, and the destination page is shown in a frame. Many websites do not allow this, in which case the page stays empty. Search engines also see hardly any content, subpages cannot be bookmarked, and on mobile phones the page is often not displayed correctly.

Your email records remain unchanged with both types.

3. Park

The domain remains registered to you but is not in use. The website shows a FireStorm default page, and no more email is received. This is useful if you only want to secure a name. If you tick Keep receiving emails, only the website is parked and your email continues to work unchanged.

Before saving

After clicking Next, a summary shows you exactly which DNS records will be changed. The change is only carried out when you click Save. Depending on the provider, it can take a few minutes to a few hours until it is visible everywhere.